Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic will not be held in 2014.

Held on Eastern San Diego County's Mount Laguna: Minimal traffic, no traffic lights and just 3 stop signs.

Distances offered:

• 101 miles with 10,000 feet of elevation gain

• 75 miles with 7000 feet of elevation gain

• 45 miles with 3800 feet of elevation gain

Registration Closes at 6pm, April 15.

Stage One of the King Of The Road Challenge!

First held in 2009 and now a Southern California "bucket list" event, the Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic features 101 miles with 10,000 feet of climbing and three different ascents of San Diego County's Mount Laguna! You will climb San Diego's highest point via Sunrise Hwy from the north, via the fabled and car-free Kitchen Creek from the south-east, and via the little-known and truly epic Pine Creek drainage from the west. There are just three stop signs and NO traffic lights on this incredible route which starts and finishes just 44 miles east of San Diego in Pine Valley, CA! Fabulous 75- and 45-mile routes are offered, too!

Feedback about the Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic

The Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic is Southern California riding at its finest, and toughest: one hundred miles of mountain back roads and not a single stop light to break the rhythm of the fantastic scenery, from mountain pine, to desert cactus and chaparral. It’s a challenge for the legs and lungs, but the scenery and space are all payback. - Dustin Sharp

The pre-ride at Mt. Laguna was brutally awesome. The route was simple, no numerous turns to get confused. Just a few glances at the rout sheet and you're on your way. The three loops made it stress-free and a sense of security that everybody is close by. The views are amazing, specially on the first loop. The last loop made this ride very memorable due to its difficulty. You have to dig deep just to go over the next steep section on Pine Creek Rd. Whoo!!! This ride has all the elements of an "epic" ride: greatness and adventure. - Francis Ignacio

Registration: Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic will not be held in 2014.

Your Entry Fee Includes

The entry fee is $89 until February 1 and then $99 thereafter, until the ride sells out. Entry includes entry to the ride, route sheet, excellent rider food at the checkpoints, roving SAG support, finish line meal, event report and images on this nifty website, and automatic participation in the King Of The Road Challenge. Checkpoints, and their opening and closing times, will be clearly marked on the route sheet. At these checkpoints, riders can reasonably expect to find the following: water, oranges, bananas, PB&J sandwiches, pretzels, muffins, trail mix, organic fig bars, Clif Bars, plus Perpetuem, Hammer Gel, HEED, and Endurolytes by Hammer Nutrition.

This event is Stage One of the King Of The Road Challenge, a three-event series which also includes the Alpine Challenge (hosted by Alpine Kiwanis) on April 27 and The Dirty Devil (hosted by CCSD.com) on June 1. Riders who complete all three events in the same calendar year will be featured on the King Of The Road website, will be eligible to wear the King Of The Road jersey, will enjoy three truly epic and memorable cycling events, and will have serious bragging rights.

Check-In / Start / Finish in Pine Valley, CA

The Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic will start and finish at Pine Valley County Park at 28810 Old Highway 80 in Pine Valley, CA 91962. This is also the location for Rider Check-In on Saturday morning from 500am to 545am. It's an extremely easy location to reach. All participants should park within the Park, NOT along the highway or in front of local businesses. As the Pine Valley County Park has been recommissioned as a Day Use Park, you will NOT need to pay a Parking Fee on your way into the park.

Rider Check-In will take place on Saturday morning at the park in Pine Valley from 500am to 545am. (Check-In is for pre-registered riders only. We do not accept in-person sign-up. Entry in the event closes at 6pm on April 15.) Please come prepared and please don't wait until the last minute to show up!

Distances to Pine Valley:
Alpine, CA to Pine Valley: 15 miles
El Cajon, CA to POine Valley: 29 miles
La Mesa, CA to Pine Valley: 33 miles
San Diego to Pine Valley: 44 miles
Oceanside to Pine Valley: 73 miles
San Bernardino to Pine Valley: 142 miles
LAX to Pine Valley: 160 miles
Santa Barbara to Pine Valley: 252 miles
Phoenix, AZ to Pine Valley: 312 miles
Las Vegas to Pine Valley: 360 miles
Tucson, AZ to Pine Valley: 366 miles

Route Description

This incredible event features three loops that all begin and end in or near Pine Valley, CA. Each of the three loops ascends Mount Laguna on a different route: via Sunrise Hwy from the north, via the fabled and car-free Kitchen Creek from the south-east, and via the little-known and truly epic Pine Creek drainage from the west. (known as Noble Canyon to mountain bikers, but our paved route features grades as steep as 20 percent). All three loops descend Mount Laguna south-bound on Sunrise Highway. The total distance is 101 miles with nearly 11,000 feet of elevation gain.

"Mount Laguna is the highest point of San Diego at 6000 feet in the Cuyamaca Mountains of east San Diego, 1 hour from downtown. Pine trees cover the mountain top, while to the east is a dramatic drop and view of the Anza Borrego Desert and Salton Sea. Occasionally there winter storms that covers the mountain in snow, but it is usually available for hiking, including the Pacific Crest Trail," which passes through the region and over mountain. - Quoted from RunoftheWorld.com

Loop One is a clockwise route from Pine Valley to Guatay, north on 79, around Lake Cuyamaca, and south on Sunrise Hwy over Mt. Laguna. (It does not quite return to Pine Valley.) Distance: 43.4 miles; Elevation Gain: 3770+ feet.

Loop Two is a counter-clockwise route from Sunrise Hwy east on Old Hwy 80, north on Kitchen Creek (which is closed to cars for 3.7 miles in the middle), north on Sunrise Hwy to the Mt. Laguna summit, then south on Sunrise Hwy and back to Pine Valley. Distance: 33.6 miles; Elevation Gain: 3300+ feet.

Loop Three is a clockwise route from Pine Valley, west on Old Hwy 80, then up the one-of-a-kind Pine Creek Road (as featured in the event logo, with grades as steep as 20 percent) all the way to Sunrise Hwy, then south over Mt. Laguna and back to Pine Valley. Distance: 25.7 miles; Elevation Gain: 2820+ feet (2000 feet of which is gained in the 10.2 miles on Pine Creek Road).

Click here for extensive route maps and elevation profiles for each of the three loops.

Click here for a seven-minute video slideshow of the entire route from start to finish. It is compiled from 181 images of the route from various rides we've enjoyed out there in recent years. The images are in sequential order, exactly as if riding the event. Each of the three loops is also depicted with a map, elevation profile, and 3D image. Turn up your speakers to enjoy the music!

Click here to see a traditional slideshow of the entire route from start to finish, featuring the same 181 images from the video slideshow linked above.

Click here to see photos, plus the report, results, and feedback, from the Official Pre-Ride of the event, held on November 14, 2009.

Click here to see photos, videos, and more from numerous cycling adventures we've had on and around Mt. Laguna over the past few years. It's a spectacular place!

Here is the elevation profile for the full event:

2013 Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic Jerseys by PACE Sportswear

If you would like to order a Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic jersey, please note that the jerseys are for pre-orders only. We do not order hardly any "extras." If you want one, please order it when you register for the event. You will not be able to email us later to order or request one.

Please reference the PACE Sportswear Sports Sizing Charts below to be sure you know your correct size before you order the new gear. Remember, these are "Euro Race-Cut" and we offer both men's and women's styles. Jerseys are race cut and therefore run small, by as much as one size or more, as compared to club cut jerseys! (They are sized almost identically to the Hincapie Race Cut jerseys that we have offered for several years in the past.)

Wear your Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic jersey with pride and style!

PLEASE NOTE: All Prices INCLUDE California Sales Tax! You will not be charged tax in addition!

Basketball Legend Bill Walton to once again serve as Chairman of Good Times, Social Affairs, Customer Relations, and All Things Fun

Basketball legend, television sportscaster, motivational speaker, cycling author, and life-long cyclist Bill Walton, a San Diego native and resident, will participate in the Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic and will serve as the Chairman of Good Times, Social Affairs, Customer Relations and All Things Fun. He had this to say about the event in 2010: "Now, Chris Kostman has designed a tough, challenging 100 miler that incorporates three ever-more-difficult ascents to the Promised Land, including the car-less Kitchen Creek fantasy. And I can’t wait. With unbelievable diversity of every aspect of life, this day will surely stand out as a monument to all we could ever hope for in any one 24 hour period. Terrific scenery, unparalleled beauty, endless vistas, great roads, a clean and safe environment, crystal clear and fresh air, extensive support, and all our best friends getting together for a day of celebration, camaraderie, exercise, spiritual fulfillment, Mount Laguna and the sprawling San Diego backcountry. If there is anything else out there please let me know - quickly. Chris Kostman has put it all together here and we couldn’t be happier or luckier." (Read Bill's 2011 statement here.)

October 2010 Bicycling Magazine: Bill Walton, NBA Legend and AdventureCORPS Fan #1
Shortly after the 2010 Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic, Roy Wallack conducted an interview for Bicycling Magazine with the basketball legend, TV sports commentator, and long time rider in our events. Full story

Twilight, Sunrise, and Sunset

Wave Start Times

Each wave will have 40 riders and they will begin in ten minute intervals. Read carefully:

Before the first wave starts at 600am, riders should line up in TWO SINGLE-FILE lines at the entrance to the start line corral There, two batches of 20 will have be checked off, then will move up to the start line corral. After each wave starts, another 50 riders will be checked off and then will move up to the start line corral. Riders starting in a later wave don't have to be in line right at 600am. Waves will begin at 600am, 610, 620, 630am, etc. Choose any wave you prefer.

All eyes—County, CHP, Forest Service, locals, and visitors—will be watching this event. PLEASE do the right thing, everyone! Thank you in advance for your cooperation!

Time Limits

The Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic is a timed cycling event and begins with an organized wave start at approximately first light of day, known as "civil twilight" according to the U.S. Naval Observatory. Riders may not leave earlier or later than the official start time if they want to be timed or receive credit for completing the event. The time limit is twelve hours. Riders who arrive at checkpoints after the posted closing times will be will not be able to complete the full route.

Results and "Finishing Credit"

Those riders interested in comparing their distance covered, or finishing time, should register with Strava.com and bring and use a GPS-enabled bike computer or smart phone, then upload their ride to Strava after the event.

This event is specifically non-competitive and is not a race. Everybody who finishes is a winner! It’s primarily up to the participants in the events to maintain the decorum, safety, and sense of fair-play and sportsmanship that should always and in all circumstances abound in these types of events.

All riders must fully and safely complete the designated route within the designated time limit to be recognized as an official finisher. Full roster and several online digital slideshows will be posted to the website shortly after the event.

What to Bring

Riders must come prepared for any possible mechanical failure or contingency. At the very least, all riders should carry a spare tube, tire (yes, an actual tire), pump, patch kit, basic tools, water bottles, money, personal and medical identification, cell phone, money, credit card, and a good attitude.

Personal SAG Vehicles

Not allowed! The Mt. Laguna area is a beautiful, generally low traffic place to ride, so why spoil it with more cars? The definition of a personal SAG is any non-staff motor vehicle that is providing any type of aid, assistance, or motivation to any rider. No RAAM crews in training, personal cheering squads, photographers, video crews, or the like, please! If your family or friends want to be there, we'll be happy to put them to work at a checkpoint!

Volunteers

We always need help at our events! We can only put these events on with the help of loyal, trustworthy, motivated individuals running the checkpoints along the way. To provide a little incentive, we offer one free entry into the next edition of this event if you volunteer. It's a simple formula: "work one, ride one free!" If you'd like to help, please submit the Volunteer Application. Likewise, if you have a Free Ride Credit you'd like to use, email us BEFORE or during the standard entry time frame for the event to reserve your spot on the roster.

Official Charity: Challenged Athletes Foundation

Click here for the "Race For a Reason" program - You can personally participate in our events on behalf of CAF - and even earn cool incentive prizes in recognition of your efforts! The Challenged Athletes Foundation was created on the belief that people of all abilities should have the opportunity to pursue a life full of physical activity and of sports. Be they recreational or in pursuit of a gold medal at the Paralympic Games, people with a physical disability are limited only by their access to funding.Click here to donate to CAF right now through a secure and easy-to-use webpage.

Important Registration Details and Policies

All entrants are required to sign the Accident Waiver at check-in (before beginning the event). The waiver may not be modified in any manner.

All riders must pay the event entry fee, except those with a Volunteer's Free Ride Credit.

Entry fees are non-transferable. (No rider exchanges.)

Entry fees are non-refundable. (No roll-over credits, either.)

We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.

Photo ID is required to check-in for the event.

The minimum age for participants and volunteers is 11. Riders under 18 must have their Accident Waiver signed by a parent or guardian who attends the event.

Participants may not tow trailers or "trail-a-bikes."

These events ALWAYS sell out way in advance! There is no registration at the event. You may not ride unless you have pre-registered and therefore your name is on the event roster.

There will be no mailing via postal service of any info, results, or entry confirmation before or after the event, however BikeReg.com will email you confirmation of your entry when you complete the application process through their website. Keep that email on file as proof of your registration. We will keep you up-to-date via our email newsletter, but only if you choose to sign up for it.

We ride rain or shine.

Fire or Storm Weather Cancels! This event is held under permits from the United States Forest Service and the County of San Diego. Either agency has the jurisdiction to cancel the event due to fire, storm weather, other natural disaster, act of terrorism, Act of God, or other reasons. If this happens, there will be No Refunds. Please review the AdventureCORPS, Inc. Disaster Policy.

Rules for Riding

All riders must be friendly and must always display a good attitude before, during, and after the event. Whining and/or a sense of entitlement will not be tolerated.

All riders must carry and/or wear the official event ID provided at check-in. Riders without ID will be refused support and will be listed as DQ in the results. "Bandit riders" will be banned from future events.

All riders must carry proper personal identification and personal emergency contact phone number at all times while cycling. We recommend the fine products from www.RoadID.com.

All riders must wear a properly fitted and fastened helmet while cycling.

All riders must obey all laws and all relevant aspects of the California Motor Vehicle Code. Riders who break laws and/or ride unsafely will be disqualified from the event; they will also be banned from entering future events.

All riders must follow the basic rules for safe cycling, including, but not limited to: Ride to the right, single file at all times. Stop at all stop signs and red signals. Protect and warn one another about road hazards and traffic. Don't overlap wheels. Practice safe paceline and group riding etiquette. Be courteous to and cognizant of motorists and other park visitors.

All riders must begin in the wave start as directed. Riders may not enter the course before or after the official wave starts.

Riders who arrive at checkpoints after the posted closing times will not be able to complete the full route.

All riders must leave the course within twelve hours and MAY NOT cycle in the dark.

All riders, including those who DNF, must check in at the finish line. Riders may complete one, two, or three loops of the three-loop course; the loops must be completed in order.

Personal Support Vehicles, whether they are actively "supporting" a rider or not, are not allowed anywhere on the course, except for the start / finish area.

For your safety and the safety of other riders and road users, headphones, in either or both ears, are not allowed at any time while cycling.